


Secrets With Teeth

by NoLifePoints (Vesperbat)



Series: Dragon AU [1]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Dragons, M/M, Magic-Users
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-08
Updated: 2017-07-08
Packaged: 2018-11-29 13:56:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11442297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vesperbat/pseuds/NoLifePoints
Summary: Yuugi is a newly appointed village healer, Jounouchi the guard assigned to keep him safe on excursions. Yuugi tries to keep his moonlight meetings in the forest a secret, but when Jounouchi follows, Yuugi decides it's time to come clean. It turns out that Jounouchi has something to reveal as well.But some secrets have teeth. And scales. And wings.(Battleshipping request for mywaywardcupcake on the prompt “You don’t have to protect me.” which somehow also turned into a dragon AU.)





	Secrets With Teeth

Yuugi slipped away after twilight and entered the forest. He carried only an unlit lantern, though his dagger was strapped to his belt. Twenty minutes into his moonlit walk, a twig snapped behind him, and he froze. “You don’t have to protect me.”

“I kind of do. It’s my job, isn’t it? Now that you’re a healer…”

With a sigh, Yuugi said, “I don’t want it to be your job. I’m not anyone special. You’re my friend, Jounouchi.”

Jounouchi winked. “And that’s why I’m really here. Come on, this place is dangerous at night. Whatever you’re up to, it’s better not to be alone out here.”

Yuugi hadn’t planned to. That was the problem. He stared into the deep tangle of trees and hesitated. He needed to leave – now – before he risked chance of outsider contact.

He would understand. He’d have to.

Yet, something held him there. He glanced up at Jounouchi and frowned. There had never been any secrets before. Surely, if he could trust anyone… his hands curled into fists. “I want you to meet someone.”

“Someone… in the forest?” Jounouchi’s eyes widened, but he followed with a hand on the hilt of his sword. They traveled on, surrounded by the soft thrum of night insects, the sleepy calls of owls, the chirp of frogs. Once they were far enough from the edge of town, Yuugi lit his lantern. The moon was so bright they had hardly needed it, but the further one strayed into the forest, the thicker the trees and the rougher the path. No words passed between them until they reached the edge of a clearing.

Yuugi touched Jounouchi’s arm, and he nearly ran into Yuugi’s back. “Wait,” Yuugi whispered. “I’ll bring him.”

Yuugi strode into the brightly lit clearing and looked to the sky. The sound of rushing wind met Jounouchi’s ears, and a winged figure touched down in front of Yuugi. As soon as Jounouchi’s thoughts caught up with his eyes, he rushed into the clearing, sword drawn. “You!”

Yuugi spun around. “Jounouchi! No! It’s alright!”

“You,” said Jounouchi again. “What are you doing here?!”

Surprise flickered over Kaiba’s face, but his expression soon hardened. “I could ask you the same question!”

“I- I’m sorry. Kaiba… this is my friend.” Yuugi put himself between the two of them, arms spread wide. “Please, calm down, Jounouchi. He’s not going to hurt anyone.”

“I might,” said Kaiba, so softly that Yuugi almost didn’t hear. His sharp blue eyes bored into Jounouchi’s. Two silvery wings were folded behind his back, and his long tail nearly swept the ground. Delicate fins sprouted where his ears should have been, and a smattering of scales glistened on the backs of his hands, which sported long talons.

Jounouchi lowered his sword, but he didn’t sheathe it. He met Kaiba’s gaze with pure defiance.

“Well,” said Kaiba, finally looking away. “I never thought I’d see you again.”

Jounouchi flushed. “Don’t- he doesn’t-”

Yuugi’s brows furrowed. “You know each other?”

Kaiba snorted. “Playing with the humans. Typical!” A wicked grin crept onto his face. “It suits you.”

At this, Yuugi started. “Jounouchi?”

Jounouchi’s shoulders quivered. “I’m sorry, Yuugi.”

Yuugi started to speak, but he clasped a hand over his mouth as Jounouchi’s form shifted before him. It was still his friend – unmistakably – but jagged black wings and a thin, spiny tail emerged from his back. Two sharp horns jutted back from the crown of his head, and his eyes – those soft, brown, friendly eyes – now flashed crimson red. Jounouchi closed them and took a deep, shuddering breath. “I didn’t know how to tell you.”

Yuugi’s eyes fluttered, trying to reconcile the image of the dragon before him with the human who had been standing in his place just a moment before. “I guess we both had secrets,” he breathed.

“This is all very exciting, but I came here to meet with you, not him. What were you thinking, bringing a – human – to see me?” Kaiba said the word with delicious irony, looking directly at Jounouchi as he did.

Yuugi turned, frowning. “I decided he should know. He’s my best friend!”

“Evidently, you didn’t know him as well as you thought you did.” Kaiba folded his arms.

“I admit I’m… surprised, but… I’m sure he has a good reason! Jounouchi, you two…”

“We got… history,” Jounouchi said, flushing.

Kaiba scowled. “Ancient history.”

“Aww, come on, it wasn’t-” Jounouchi sighed. “I guess I do owe you an apology, even if you owe me a few thousand.”

“For letting me think you were dead? Why should I care? Looking at you now, you might as well have been.”

“Jounouchi?” Yuugi approached him. He flinched, uncertain, but Yuugi laid a hand on his shoulder, gentle as ever. “What happened?”

“It’s… a long story.” Jounouchi exhaled. “Kaiba. Do you have somewhere we can talk?”

Kaiba paused. “You carry him. He’s too heavy.”

“Huh?” Before Yuugi could say anything else, Kaiba took to the sky.

“Oh, hell. There he goes. Sorry, Yuugi.” Jounouchi leaped into the air, snatching Yuugi from the ground. Yuugi shrieked as they ascended, and Jounouchi apologized as often as his breath allowed, shouting over the whistling of the wind. His arms encircled Yuugi’s chest. “I’ve got you! Don’t worry, I’ve got you!”

It wasn’t a long flight, but by the time Jounouchi dropped Yuugi onto the floor of the mountain cave, he was puffing. Collapsing alongside Yuugi, he spat, “You fly too fast!”

“You fly too slow.” Kaiba disappeared into the cave’s depths.

Jounouchi growled. “When I’m  _carrying_ someone…”

Yuugi just lay there, staring up at the ceiling of the cave and panting.

Running a hand over his sweat-covered face, Jounouchi said, “I’m sorry. That asshole just loves leaving people behind.” A hint of bitterness surfaced in his voice.

As soon as they had both recovered their breath, they followed after Kaiba. There was a carved stone corridor connecting the outer cave to a much deeper, larger chamber. It was well lit, and Yuugi marveled at the furs and the tapestries. The air was chill, but it wasn’t damp, and it was furnished as well as any noble’s home.

“It’s about time,” said Kaiba, tapping his tail against the floor. He led them into another chamber, smaller and cozier, where they could sit on a mass of silken cushions and furs. Kaiba flicked his finger and lit the fireplace with an eerie flame, pale blue and smokeless. Yuugi leaned against Jounouchi, who blushed.

Jounouchi sighed, sinking back into the pillows. “I’m sorry, Yuugi. The story might have to wait. I’m exhausted, thanks to a certain someone.”

Kaiba sniffed. “It isn’t my fault you have no endurance.”

“I haven’t flown in a long time, okay?”

“That’s hardly my fault, either.”

“You know, in a roundabout way…”

“Don’t blame me for your weakness.”

“Yeah, well, if you hadn’t left me for dead-”

“I was injured,” said Kaiba, baring his teeth. “I couldn’t drag a probable carcass back home when I was about to bleed out myself!”

Jounouchi noticed Yuugi’s mounting panic and shook his head. “Stop, stop. Stop. I’m tired. Let’s not.”

“Maybe you should just get some rest,” said Yuugi, squeezing Jounouchi’s hand.

Jounouchi smiled down at him. “Thanks. Tell you everything in the morning. I promise.”

“No problem. I’m kind of… overwhelmed, myself.” Yuugi rubbed at his eyes.

Kaiba snorted. “So now I’m offering you shelter for the night?”

Jounouchi shrugged. “Unless you want to try and force me out.”

Kaiba was silent for a moment, though his tail flicked irritably. “It doesn’t matter. My plans for the night are already ruined.”

“Oh- that’s right.” Jounouchi blinked. “Yuugi, why were you meeting with him?”

Yuugi smiled, a flush creeping onto his face. “We were going to play a game.”

“How did you…”

“By chance. On one of the days I managed to slip out, I met him in the forest. He asked me why he shouldn’t kill me then and there, so I said that it would be more fun to play for it.“

Jounouchi cast Kaiba a hard glare. “He asked that, huh?”

Kaiba rolled his eyes. “I wasn’t actually going to do it.”

Yuugi’s blush deepened. “Well, I took it seriously! It was… the only thing I could think to do.”

Jounouchi’s brows rose. “And?”

“And… I beat him at cards,” said Yuugi. “He wasn’t too happy about it, but he did let me go. He’s been challenging me to rematches every full moon since.”

Jounouchi smirked. “So you couldn’t beat the human, huh? Just couldn’t stand it.”

“Enough!” Kaiba’s tail lashed.

“You’re right. Let’s just… talk in the morning. Really talk.” He was looking at Kaiba now, a sudden softness in his eyes. Something far off.

Kaiba turned away and studied a tapestry on the wall. “Then I’ll retire.”

“Or you could stay,” Jounouchi said. He reclined in the pillows with Yuugi nestled into his side, already drifting into sleep. Kaiba eyed the two of them. “It’s alright.” He held out his arm.

Kaiba hesitated and dropped to Jounouchi’s side. Yuugi’s eyes flickered opened, and Kaiba froze – but Yuugi merely smiled and reached across Jounouchi. Reached for  _him_. Kaiba paused. “I can’t sleep behind you, you know.”

“Right.” Jounouchi rubbed his chin. They would have had to sleep on their sides, facing one another, to allow for their wings. Suddenly, he grinned. “So don’t. Take the other side.”

“But Yuugi-”

“Doesn’t mind. Do you?” Jounouchi ruffled his hair.

“Not at all.” He flashed Kaiba a half-lidded grin.

Kaiba found himself obeying, settling into the pillows and pressing against Yuugi’s back. His tail curled across the others, and Jounouchi’s did the same, entwining itself around Kaiba’s. He willed the flame to go out, plunging them into darkness before they could see the redness in his face. They were a tangle of limbs, human and otherwise.

Jounouchi nudged Yuugi. “Not crushing you, are we? How do you feel?”

“Safe,” said Yuugi, breathing deep, chest and back expanding against their warmth.

Somehow, Kaiba felt it too. Safe – for the first time in a long, long time.


End file.
